Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban Critical of the Refs After Loss to Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks lost a heartbreaker in Oakland last night, and according to the Mavs’ head coach and their owner, it was mostly due to the referees’ ineptitude. Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban ranted about the refs following the game, to the press and through social media. David Stern and the NBA will likely respond through financially punitive channels. Per the Star Telegram: “Carlisle heavily criticized the officials after the Golden State Warriors edged the Mavs, 100-97, Thursday night at ORACLE Arena. The loss was the third in four games for the Mavs, who are now 19-27 going into tonight’s 8 p.m. game in Phoenix. What got Carlisle upset was a blocked shot credited to Warriors center Andrew Bogut when Brandan Wright went up for a shot not far from the rim with 6.2 seconds left in the game. At the time, the Warriors were leading, 98-97, and Carlisle seriously felt Wright was fouled on the play. That led to this postgame rant by Carlisle: ‘The game came down to the call that wasn’t made,’ he said. ‘Brandan Wright got hit in the arm, and it’s obvious and it’s two nights in a row and it’s very tough to take with as hard as our guys are fighting to not be on the free throw line with a chance to go ahead with six seconds left in the game. I’m disappointed and I’m very concerned. Concerned about what’s happening at the end of games with the officials. I can only be honest.’ This past Tuesday in Portland, guard OJ Mayo was whistled for charging into Ronnie Price with the score tied 104-104 with 1.5 seconds left. Blazer forward LaMarcus Aldridge then hit an 18-footer at the buzzer to lead Portland to a 106-104 victory over the Mavs. The next day, the NBA issued a statement that said Price should have been whistled for a block and that Mayo should have been at the line shooting a pair of free throws that possibly could have led to a Dallas win. [...] Owner Mark Cuban, who wasn’t at the game, chimed in via his Twitter account about the game’s stretch drive. Cuban tweeted: ‘Cant wait to see what the NBA says about this no call with 2 secs left. #2gamesinarow.’”